How to Draw Males

STEP 1.

So we're first going to start with our line of action to set up our figure. The line's flat this time because we're going to be setting up a figure we're working with today-the male figure.

STEP 2.

Next we need to 'snap' the skeletal structure onto the line of action we've created. As you can see we have the general bones drawn out in a conceptual format-the head, the jaw, the rib cage, the arms, legs, joints, and pelvis.

STEP 3.

Now, with this tutorial we're going to focus on the male and see just what makes the male, well, male.

STEP 4.

Above i've noted some important components to the male anatomy-the trapezius, which spans from behind the neck-gives that bump from the shoulders to the neck we see. It's important to draw this bump out. Next we see the pectorals, or the male breasts. Male breasts are much more definitive, they aren't as curvy as female breasts, but you want to make them follow how the arms are. Next we have the deltoid, the muscle in the body that gives us that 'bump' along the upper arm we see. We then have the biceps, the muscles in the front upper arm, then the triceps, the muscles in the back upper arm. You can note the '6 pack', but these muscles vary depending on someone's muscular mass. Along the rib cage lies the sternum, or the breastbone-the breastbone latches onto the collarbones, or the clavicles. The clavicles are those bones that make a V. Learning both skeletal anatomy and muscle anatomy is important because it helps you with drawing a figure correctly. In the human body there are about 206 bones, and a myriad of muscles. It's important to try to know the important ones that you'll draw, but ultimately knowing most-to-all will benefit all in itself.

STEP 5.

Here we see the trapezius once more, and the scapula-the scapula is a bone in the back, or the 'shoulder blade'. It's what causes those bumps you see in the upper back. Next we have the spine. It's crucial your spine's correct with the drawing you're doing-you want to make your spine realistic, make sure it's not unrealistic.

STEP 6.

So, now we're going to see the differences in females and males alike.

STEP 7.

The arm width of a male is longer than the hip width. The Hip width of a female is usually longer than the arm width because of fertility and pregnancy. Men are typically firmer and more defined in their strokes, they're harder, more definitive-and women are curvier. I'm not saying to follow this like a bible, there are some men who have more feminine characteristics and some females who are more muscular than others.

STEP 8.

So, what makes a character a UNIQUE character? With our little friend here, we're going to look at the differences in characteristic traits.

STEP 9.

So we're going to start out by making him heavy-set. Now, i'm not trying to be offensive against anyone heavy-set out there, this is just a prime example of how you can make a character. Fat is a mass of it's own, and is majorly affected by gravity and force, so if you decide to draw your character doing something, you need to think 'how is the fat going to be affected by either A. Force B. Gravity or C. Both.'. Sociologically, obesity has meant many things. This day in age it's rising and becoming common in America, but back in the 17-1800's obesity was rare, and was a sign of prosperity and riches. Your character doesn't have to stand for a stereotype, it can stand for it's own self. People are beautiful, whether fat, skinny, or regular sized.

STEP 10.

Another way is to draw your character extremely skinny. Yet again, i'm not trying to offend anyone, i'm just using prime examples of how to make your character different. You'll notice that this character is very boney, if you make an extremely skinny character you'll want to make them boney-if not, you need to realize that genetically some people are just born skinny, or without as much muscle. You need to find good references for your preference for the character.

STEP 11.

Or, if you so choose, you can make your character a female. This female figure in particular is hourglass shaped. Note how her shoulders in hips are in the similar shape of an hourglass.

STEP 12.

This figure differs from the one above solely due to the distribution of fat across the body and the differences in genetics. This figure is pear-shaped.

STEP 13.

Hence why it's body shape is like a pear.

STEP 14.

You can also make your female characters heavy-set as well. With females, though, you have more to try to comprehend-the breasts are approximately 80% fat, so you need to make changes properly with the force and gravity of what's going on in the scenario you're putting your character in.

STEP 15.

Now we're back to normal. This has been a brief run-down of variations you can change to make your character a little more different. You need to keep in mind that everything you add to your character can define them-so the more you add, the more we'll know-the less you add, the more vague it'll be to us. Other things you can alter are height, age, complexion, weight, muscle mass, and all sorts of other things. Don't limit yourself to one simple basic style that's as stale as week-old bread.

STEP 16.

Now, we're going to focus back on the figure drawings. I've set up another line of action, but all you see is just a line. As the artist, I can see what I want clearly in my head, and I can find the references matching what I want to draw-you as the artist don't know what i'm going to be going for yet.

STEP 17.

Now I make the skeletal structure. You can tell more of what the character is, per say-you can assume that the left one is happy about something, hence the perked-out chest and the arms in the air. The one to the right is droopy and dull, you can assume he's sad. Since the day you were born, you've been exposed to other human beings and their emotions. You see how people react to how the world around them changes. That's how animation works, and that's how life works-Humans constantly react to how the world changes around them. You want to imply how your character changes from something.

STEP 18.

Finally we have our figures. You can obviously tell who's happier and who's sadder. Now, we all have those moments when we see our artwork and think 'i could be so much better...', i have those moments a lot. We see amazing pieces of artwork and wish we could draw like that. Don't wish it, tell yourself 'i WILL draw like that someday.' You don't become an expert at art overnight. Art is like playing an instrument-you have to practice and practice and practice, then practice some more while you're at it. Art is a skill that you need to construct, it doesn't come easily. It's going to take much time, and much effort. You should always be open to constructive criticism, it'll help you out a lot. I've been on some art sites that help you improve with your art, they help to an extent. From most sources i've seen, it's suggested you fill a sketchbook-to-two sketchbooks every month at the bare MINIMUM, and that you practice constantly. Another said it takes approximately 100 drawings to learn how to draw something. Another said it takes 100,000 hours of drawing and practice to become an expert. These are all off-handed assumptions from other sources, but, they stand true to the point of saying that art takes a LOT of practice. Just don't give up, and don't hate your art. It's beautiful because you put time and effort into it, and you persevered past your doubts and inhibitions in order to create something.

STEP 19.

So now we're going to go more in-depth on how you can do more with your line of action, so we start off with a line.

STEP 20.

Now, you can make lines where the upper-rib cage is located, and where the hips are. These lines can help you push your character and give them more dynamic based on what you want-you want these lines to be opposite of each other most of the time, like i've done above. You don't ALWAYS have to do these lines like this, but it helps with constructing things from time to time. It's all preferences.

STEP 21.

Then we just draw the figure of the character while we follow our line. Make sure gravity's spread out even and make sure the character's outline looks just right.

STEP 22.

I'll reiterate the importance of making sure the spine's correct. As you can see, the spine works here, and this is good. When you start sketching, you don't want to start with the head in particular, it's better to start with the torso and the hips and continue from there.

STEP 23.

So now we're going to have a little treat for the end of this tutorial-feel free to draw off this one and follow along, because we're going to be drawing a sexy male. If you wish to make it different than mine, go right ahead, as long as it helps i'm glad. So we start off with the skeletal anatomy and the line of action, which i've already done.

STEP 24.

Next, you're going to want sketch out the male's anatomy-just like what we went over above. You want to try to get it relevant to what we've covered.

STEP 25.

add some clothes and whatever you want. I just added a hat on mine honestly.

STEP 26.

Finally, if you're drawing digitally, erase those annoying additional lines and vuela-you've got yourself a male drawing. I had another image to upload but I ran out of space, so I guess this is the end of the tutorial. Just remember the importance of character variation-you need to make your character interesting, believable, and unique. When i say believable, I mean don't add anything onto their story that's going to contradict itself. When I say interesting, I mean make it so that it catches the eye of people. When I say make it unique, I mean just that-make it different. It's your's, make the best of what you can with it. Anyways thanks for the support you guys, and if you have any other tutorial requests please feel free to comment on my dragoart page, and i'll respond to you as soon as I possibly can. Until next time, guys.

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